Symposium of Best Thought

SYMPOSIUM OF BEST THOUGHT. Though I have that certain knowledge within me of the truth of our own God-revealed religion, I would be a churl indeed did I fail to accord others that respect and deference due them, in the expression of their views, that I wish to have accorded me, however they may differ in their opinions or ideas from my way of thinking. — E. H. Lund, Ogden, Utah. Whenever anyone comes to me with disparaging re- marks concerning my neighbor, I think to myself, "Beware of the calumniator, for he may sell your reputation as cheaply as he does your neighbors." — Wtn. J. Snow, Pine Valley, Utah. Could we grasp the hand of truth at all times, life would be sweet indeed! — Priscilla J. Riter, Salt Lake City. A lazy man is a disgrace to his country, an enemy to God, and worse than an infidel. — C, W. Goodliffe, Rochester, Kansas. "There is nothing new under the sun" (Eccl. I: 9). The best and the truest thoughts in art, science, literature, and religion are but the faint and glimmering remembrances of what we knew in our pre-existent state in the celestial realms of the Father, and the nearer we live to the perfect plan of the gospel of Christ, from the cradle to the grave, the more bright and clear will those remembrances be. The Holy Spirit but clears the mists of forgetfulness from our eyes, allowing the past and present to come to our rememb- rance, and mirror that which is to be. — Frank T. Pomeroy, Mesa City, Arizona.

SYMPOSIUM OF BEST THOUGHT. 609 He who devotes his entire time to reading, knows theo- retically everything, and practically nothing. Like faith with- out works, theory without practice is dead, being alone. — Samuel H. Wells, St. George, Utah. What is freedom? The world would say it is the pri- vilege of doing as we desire without being restrained by others. Christ tells us to obey him and we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free. It is my privilege—no, I will say duty—to seek diligently after all truth; and, finding it, bind myself to it in the bonds of humble obedience, and then I will be free indeed; free from the bondage of sin; free to be all that God has made it possible for me to be; free to become as God. — Hyrum Monson, Preston, Idaho. In the bosom of everyone is implanted an emotion which proclaims a soul in man; and from every soul springs heaven- born adoration, the closest adjunct of humility. — G. A. Iver- son, Manti, Utah. We have statesmen, rulers, orators, poets, limners, sculptors, musicians, warriors, etc. Though all these be of the first rank, there is a something to be desired beyond them—one who can say: Thus saith the Lord! A prophet of God..—John Regnsts, Rock Springs, Wyoming. As the child comes to earth he is the product of nature, so called; as he reaches the goal of death he is the out put of second nature. The product of the first, as to purity and in- nocence, is uniform, that of the second as varied as the sands along the beach. The deliverance of the child at the harbor of death unchanged in these qualities is intrusted to the par- ents first, and then to the community. Does either compre- hend the magnitude of the responsibility? — David Hirschi, Rockville, Utah. Man's inclinations are to keep pace with man's inven- tions, and in these days of steam power, electric motors and rapid transit, we are prone to go a bit too fast. This is a swift age—the spirit of speculation is rife, and a tendency to rush blindly forward, without proper regard for probable con- sequences, has plunged tens of thousands of our fellow crea- te

610 IMPROVEMENT ERA. tures into financial distress, and blasted, if not forever ruined,, their temporal welfare. The allusion applies more particu- larly to America and Americans. That is one picture. Now look upon this: — See the multitudes who are willing to plod through life, content to eke out a miserable existence, without a hope for the future or even a desire for advancement in either their mental or material condition. Having fallen into a narrow rut, or groove, they lack ambition to grow out of it, strength of character is wanting and their condition is indeed pitiable. A few years more and retrogression is the inevitable. Envy takes the place of energy, and but for such the word moss- back would never have been coined. This is the other ex- treme. Avoid extremes. Strike a happy medium and there will always be found ample latitude to satisfy any laudable ambition. — E. H. Peirce, Salt Lake City.